Nuclear

The Government of Vietnam wants enterprises of Russia and Vietnam to cement and deepen investment cooperation commensurate to the strategic partnership between the two countries, said PM Nguyen Tan Dung when meeting representatives of the business communities of the two countries in Moscow on Monday.PM Nguyen Tan Dung meets with Russian PM V. Putin.PM Dung lauded Russian enterprises which are planning to expand investment and business activities in Vietnam and encouraged them to make full use of available potentials for more effective bilateral cooperation.Russia on Tuesday penned a deal to build Vietnam's first nuclear power plant, and the countries' respective oil and gas giants forged a joint venture, increasing Moscow's outreach into southeast Asia, Russian news agencies reported.The plant deal was signed in Moscow by Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of Russia's nuclear energy agency Rosatom, and Pham Le Thanh, the head of Vietnam's state electricity company EVN.Respective state energy … [Read more...] about Russia, Vietnam sign nuclear, other energy deals

Speaking at the first plenary session on the regional security and politics, Vietnamese National Assembly Deputy Chairman Do Ba Ty, also head of the Vietnamese parliamentary delegation, said the Asia-Pacific was facing complicated and unpredictable challenges, ranging from simmering tensions and conflicts to poverty, diseases and the negative impacts of climate change. “Contributing to pease, security , co-operation and development is the responsibility of all APPF members,” Ty said. “We believe that global peace and security is a prerequisite for economic and social co-operation and development as well as for promoting basic human rights and peoples’ happiness.” In 2017, escalating tension on the Korean peninsula emerged again, creating fears of a war that could break out anytime as the DPRK test-fired intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons and conducted its sixth nuclear test. The DPRK nuclear crisis became the centre … [Read more...] about Threat of nuclear war dominates Asia-Pacific forum

After 12 years of negotiations, Iran and 6 world powers (China, Russia, Britain, France, the US, and Germany) signed a nuclear deal in July, 2015. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) promised sanctions relief for Iran in exchange for a halt of Iran's controversial nuclear weapon development.The nuclear deal is considered the biggest diplomatic success of the Obama administration. But the current President is now seeking to undo it. Intention behind deal revision pressures Of the 7 signatories of the deal, only the US wants to revise it. During his presidential campaign, President Trump called it “the worst deal ever”. He said the deal won’t prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Trump is not happy with Tehran’s expanding influence in the region, its interference in Yemen and Syria, or its supplying weapons to Hezbollah. Although Trump has given no evidence to support his allegations, he has threatened US withdrawal from the pact unless it is … [Read more...] about Iran nuclear deal revision under pressure

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany could serve as a global trailblazer with its decision Monday to phase out nuclear power by 2022 but France, Europe\'s biggest producer, said it will not follow suit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses a press conference at the chancellery in Berlin. Merkel said the "fundamental" rethink of energy policy in the world\'s number four economy, prompted by the disaster in March at Japan\'s Fukushima plant, opened new opportunities for business and climate protection."We believe we as a country can be a trailblazer for a new age of renewable energy sources," she told reporters."We can be the first major industrialised country that achieves the transition to renewable energy with all the opportunities -- for exports, development, technology, jobs -- it carries with it."Yet neighbour France, while saying it "respected" the German position, insisted it was not ready to give up nuclear … [Read more...] about German nuclear shutdown sets global example: Merkel

Iran on Saturday rejected any modification of its nuclear deal with world powers after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded tough new measures to keep the agreement alive. Iran "will not accept any amendments in this agreement, be it now or in the future, and it will not allow any other issues to be linked to the JCPOA", the foreign ministry said in a statement, using the 2015 deal's technical name. It has the backing of all the partners to the agreement apart from the United States, with Russia warning Washington on Saturday that withdrawing would be "a big miscalculation". "We are gradually coming to the conclusion that an internal decision by the U.S. to leave the JCPOA has already been made or is close to being made," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Interfax news agency. "This could be one of Washington's big foreign policy mistakes," he added. Trump again waived nuclear-related sanctions on Friday -- as required every few months to stay in the agreement -- but … [Read more...] about Iran rules out any change to nuclear accord

US President Donald Trump addresses a press conference in Washington DC on January 10, 2018. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) In the next 120 days remaining the nuclear pact, Trump will work with the Congress and his European allies to fix “the disastrous flaws” without negotiations with Iran. The amended deal will only involve the US, the UK, France, and Germany and apply tougher measures against Iran’s nuclear activities. … [Read more...] about US President wants another nuclear deal with Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday he would not reimpose nuclear sanctions on Iran, keeping a landmark 2015 deal alive... for now. The Republican leader grudgingly agreed to sign sanctions waivers, ensuring Washington will live up to its commitments for another 120 days, but he cautioned it would be "for the last time." During that four-month period, he now wants Congress and America's main European allies to draw up a new deal -- without negotiating with Tehran -- to replace the "disastrous flaws" in the current agreement. "Despite my strong inclination, I have not yet withdrawn the United States from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said in a statement. "Instead, I have outlined two possible paths forward: either fix the deal's disastrous flaws, or the United States will withdraw." The new deal -- which Trump envisions as being outlined in U.S. law and involving Britain, France and Germany -- would impose tougher controls on Iran if sanctions relief is to continue. In … [Read more...] about Trump issues stay of execution for Iran nuclear deal

SEOUL — North Korea has stepped up tunnelling at its main nuclear test site, a US think tank said, even as tensions cool on the peninsula following the resumption of long-stalled inter-Korean dialogue. Satellite images showed increased activity at the Punggye-ri site, with mining carts and personnel frequently visible, and excavation waste piles growing, the 38North website said on Thursday. "These activities underscore North Korea’s continued efforts to maintain the Punggye-ri site’s potential for future nuclear testing," it said. The last five of Pyongyang’s six nuclear tests have been carried out under Mount Mantap at Punggye-ri in the country’s north-west, all of them at the North Tunnel. After a series of small earthquakes in the area, 38North said last October that the site may be suffering from the geological condition "Tired Mountain Syndrome". The syndrome refers to the effect of below-ground nuclear blasts on the surrounding rock, which … [Read more...] about N. Korea steps up tunnelling at nuclear test site: monitor

VietNamNet Bridge – Le Duc Thao, Director of the Department on Advantages and Disadvantages of Mutation at the Agriculture Genetics Institute, talks to the newspaper Lao dong (Labour) about the application of nuclear technology in the country’s primary industry – agriculture. Do you have any comments on the application of nuclear technology in our agriculture industry?Vietnam has applied nuclear technology in our agriculture at a very early stage, including in the selection of plant species through sudden plant mutation, protection, quarantine and others.In my opinion, in Vietnam we have achieved quite remarkable success in seed selection, which has been recognised by international scientists.Of the more than 3,200 genetically modified crops selected in the world, Vietnam has developed 64 species, ranking eighth internationally. The most well-known rice species are the DT 10 and Khang Dan rice. These two rice species have won high acclaim from Vietnamese farmers.In … [Read more...] about Agriculture gets nuclear boost

According to congressional and diplomatic sources, the Trump administration will consider developing new low-yield, small nuclear weapons to ensure military dominance over rival powers. It will not limit the role of nuclear weapons to deterrence and counterattacks against a nuclear attack. Trump’s predecessor, Barrack Obama, committed to a world free of nuclear weapons. … [Read more...] about US plans flexible use of nuclear weapons